Device for holding bedclothes in position



April z2, 1924.' 1,491,160

C. J. MEUNIER DEVICE FORv HOLDING BEDCLOTHES IN POSITION Filed May 22. 1925 Patented Apr. Q2, 1924.

"CHRISTIAN J. MEUNIER, 0F

merite NEW ORLEANS, LOISIANA.

:environ Fon HOLDING BEDoLo'rHEs IN POSITION.

.Applicationy filed May 22,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that-I, CHRIsTIAN J. MEU- Ninn, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Holding Bedclothes in Position; and I do hereby declare-the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. f r

This invention relates to `devices adapted to hold bed clothes in position over the occupants of the bed, being especially adapted in'the retention of the bed clothes in protective position over babies or small children, and equally adapted to'insure the protec-tion of sleeping adults. 1

It is generally recognized to be a fact that a great many of the colds inflicted upon human beings are due to the fact that the bed covers become disarranged during the hours of sleep, and the bodies of the occupants of the bed unduly exposed` to the relatively cold temperature of the bed room. Babies or small children, whether asleep or awake, are liable to disarrange the covers, resulting in the dangerous exposure heretofore referred to.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is the provision of means adapted to be so .secured to the bed clothes that the latter will lie in the proper position over the body of the occupant of the bed, and be firmly held in that position against any movement of the occupants body tending to disarrange the clothes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device such as above referred to, which is adjustable to fit beds of any size.

A further object of lthe invention is the production of such a device which will not interfere in any way with the comfort of the occupant of the bed, whether the occupant is asleep or awake.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specifications, when read in connection with the drawings forming a part thereof.

In said drawings: y

Fig. l is a top plan View of a bed equipped 'with my device.

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the clamping devices at the head of the bed.

1923. serial Nd. 640,739.r

Fig. 3 is a side view of the clamping devices at t-he foot of the bed.

F'ig. 4L is a side view showing a modified form of the means adapted to be fastened to the bed covers, and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55` of Fig. 2.

Now referring specifically to the drawings, the device consists, in part, of two clamping members A and B, the member A being adapted for utilization near the head of the bed and the member B at the foot` Except as hereinafter noted, the two menibers are similari constructed.

The member is made up of two yco-operating'bars l and 2, preferably formed of resilient sheet metal, each bar being inclined downwardly from its top body portion at 3, and terminating in hooked or angled ends e, adapted to detachably receive the rails 5 of the bed, as `shown in Fig. 2 or to be lslipped over the edge of the mattress,'as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 5, the bar is provided with anges 6 6, which are carried inwardly and spaced from the body portion, to provide a channel 'adapted to slidably receive the body of thebar 2p As shown in Fig. 2, the bar l is provided with an aperture,'and the body of the bar 2 provided with several spacediapertures, and a pin y7 is adapted to be extended'through the aperture in the bar l, and any one of the apertures in the bar2,whereby to retain the two bars in any position to which they are adjusted to fit beds of different widths, as will be understood. The pin 7 may be of any desired construction, adapted to hold the two bars in position. y

Surrounding the bars 1 and 2 is a strip of heavy cloth 8, which may be detachably secured in position in any suitable manner, such as by hooks and eyes, buttons, etc.,

or which may be permanently `se-wed in position. The strip 8, after being so connected terminates in an end 9, directed towards the foot of the bed, and, at spaced intervals on said end 9, are fastened safety pins l0, or other safety securing `devices adapted for connection to the bed clothes.

The foot member B is practically identical in all respects withthe member A, the exception being that the bars l and.2 are not provided with the downwardly extendingfportions 3, the bars therefore lying in PATENT ori-TCE.,

a plane adjacent the plane of the top cover of the bed. It is similarly provided with the strip 8, the extension 9 and the retaining members 10, however.

Fig. 4 shows a modification ofthe strip 8, wherein a plurality of strips of cotton tape 11 are secured at their tops, to the members A and B. The strips 11 may be provided with nickeled rings 12, adapted to it loosely in apertures formed in the members I or r2 when it is desired to prevent any lateral movement of the strips, or the rings may be slidably mounted on the members A and B. It is understood that the rings 12 are swingingly connected to the members A and B. To the bottom of each strip l1 is connected a safety pin 10, or other Jfastening device, whereby the bed clothes may be readily secured to said strips 11.

In the application of my device, as described, the bar l' may be secured to the side rail 5 or to the mattress, by merely placing the hooked or angled end 4 around said rail or over the edge of said mattress. The end ot the bar 2 is then slipped in between the {ianges 6 6, and the end 4 of the bar 2, then lowered and pushed inwardly until said end operatively engages the mattress or the rail 5 onthat side of the bed. The pin 7 is then passed through the apertures in the bars 1 and 2', and retains said bars in their adjusted positions. The members A and B are then pushed backwardly or forwardly, longitudinally of the rails 5, or the mattress, until they are .in their proper positions, the member A at the head of the bed and the member B at the foot, it being noted that the resiliency of the metal of the bars l and 2 will serve to resiliently retain the members in the positions to which they have been adjusted.

After the members A and B have been properly adjusted, longitudinally of the bed, the ends 9 of the strips 8 will be found to be resting on the top bed covers, and the pins l() may be secured to said covers. It is to be noted that the pins 10 may be se cured as described, at a point substantially removed from the top edge ot the bed cover, thereby leaving free a portion of the clothes sufficient to cover the neck and shoulders of the occupant. Manifestly, the member A may be so adjusted, prior to connection with the bed clothes, as to vary the extent ot that portion of the clothes left between the point of attachment thereof and the head ofthe bed.

It will be noted that the arched construction of the member A, as indicated, permits freedom of movement of the body of the bed occupant, but that such movement ,can not disarrange the clothes from parallelism with the bed or mattress, because of the rconnection of the strip 8 to the clothes.

Ymovement of the feet or limbs.

inertes The member B is similarly connected to the bed rails or mattress and detachably secured to the bed clothes, and is raised just enough above the top cover to provide for It desired, it may rest directly upon the bed clothes and be positioned adjacent the foot ot the bed, beyond reach of the feet of the occupant. Itsprimary object is to retain the clothes in position, although, in some instances, and when the occupant ot the bed is an adult, the section'B may be dispensed with and the section A relied upon to pree serve the clothes in position.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have produced a device of the class described, which will not only efficiently serve the purpose for which it is provided, but which is easily adjustable longitudinally of the bed, to positions desired, and is also adjustable laterally to adapt it to beds of different widths. It may be easily detached for straightening the bed, as ,will be understood.

liIodiications of the herein-described structure may be suggested to those skilled in the art. but my invention includes all such modilications and embodiments as fall fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device ot the character described` comprising two bars of resilient material provided with hooked ends adapted for connection to bed rails or mattress, said bars being extended upwardly from said ends and adapted for telescopic engagement each to each, substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described, comprising two bars of resilient material provided with hooked ends adapted for connection to bed rails or mattress, said bars being extended upwardly trom said ends and adapted for telescopic engagement each to each, and means 'for securing said bars in different positions of adjustment, substantially as described.

3. A device of the character described, comprising two bars of resilient material provided with hooked ends adapted for yconnection to bed rails or mattress, said bars being extended upwardly from said ends and adapted for telescopic engagement each to each. and means for securing said bars in different positions of adjustment, said means comprising apertures in the bars and a retaining member adapted for insertion in the other bar and adapted to prevent relative movement between said bars, substantially as described.

4. A device ot the character described, comprising two bars of resilient material provided with hooked ends adapted for connection to bed rails or mattress, said bars being extended upwardly 'from said ends and adapted for telescopic engagement each to each, and means connected to said bars adapted to be detachably connected to the bed clothes, substantially as described.

5. A device of the character described, comprising two bars of resilient material provided with hooked ends adapted for connection to bed rails or mattress, said bars being extended upwardly from said ends and adapted for telescopic engagement each to each. and means connected to said bars adapted to be detachably connected to the bed clothes, said means comprising an element swingingly mounted on said bars, and carrying means whereby to fasten said element to said clothes, substantially as described.

6. Bed clothes retaining devices comprising an upwardly arched member secured to the rails or mattress `of the bed adjacent the head portion thereof, in combination with means -on said member provided with elements adapted for detachable connection to the bed clothes.' j

7 Bed clothes retaining devices comprising an upwardly arched member secured to the rails or mattress of the bed adjacent the head portion thereof, a member similarly secured to the rails or mattress adjacent the foot portion thereof, and means carried by each of said members adapted to be detachably connected to the bed clothes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHRISTIAN J.MEUNIER. 

